SoCon shoots hoops against hunger

WLOS — ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The SoCon Basketball Championships are in town shooting hoops for wins-and also against hunger.

Hoops Against Hunger is a food program put on by Eblen Charities. They’ve set up at the U.S. Cellular Center for the SoCon tournament that runs through Monday.

“All the food that we collect will go to Buncombe County and Asheville City Schools, so children make sure they have enough to eat while they’re on Easter break and while they’re home for the holidays,” Bill Murdock, the executive director of Eblen Charities, said.

Its their second year at SoCon and their second chance to do something much bigger than the court.

“To make sure that no child is left hungry at home, because we know when you’re hungry, nothing else matters,” Murdock said. “One in five children in our community face hunger at some time while they’re at home.”

If you’re going to enjoy the tournament, Eblen Charities asks that you reach into your pantry and bring something with a shelf life, to feed a young life.

“It could mean whether or not one of our children, or one of our students in our community, has something to eat that day,” Murdock said.

Last year 10,000 pounds of food, along with thousands of dollars, were donated to Hoops Against Hunger.